This invention relates generally to wheeled infant strollers or carriers, and more particularly, to a conveniently portable collapsible jogging infant stroller for safely and smoothly carrying an infant which is also uniquely adapted to collapse for storage and transportation into a size less than two of its dimensions when upright and erect for use.
Collapsible or foldable baby carriages for walking have long been known and are generally described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,781,225; 3,873,116; and 4,072,318. These early carriages have evolved from more cumbersome, rigid carriages, as many carriages are now collapsible or foldable as to make them conveniently transported or stored.
The problems associated with known collapsible or foldable baby carriages or strollers are well known. For such strollers to be safe and permit smooth carrying of an infant, they must be secured together readily safely, such as with the use of bolts and nuts. Consequently, the disassembly of such strollers is required, necessitating the use of tools to break the stroller partially down to permit collapse or folding. Furthermore, many of these carriages or infant strollers, when in their collapsed or folded state, have one or two of their three dimensions actually extended to a longer length, height or width than when the strollers are erect. This extensibility or expansion of one or two dimensions however has been acceptable as the strollers were at least able to fit into trunks of automobiles and the like which permitted four elongated folded frames.
With the resurgence of physical fitness, persons of all ages, including the parents of infants and young children, have developed great interest in all forms of physical exercise, particularly in jogging and walking at relatively high speeds. Consequently, infant jogging strollers or carriages that fold for transport and/or storage, while yet provide for safe, stable and secure carrying of a child at a relatively higher speed were developed. Several of these infant jogging strollers are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 297,525; 4,934,728; 4,953,880; Des. 315,885; and 5,029,891. However, these jogging strollers are also plagued with the problem of frame elongation upon collapse or folding for transportation and/or storage.
There is a continued need for a collapsible or foldable infant jogging stroller which includes all the past known refinements, but further includes the ability to fold or collapse into a contracted condition for transportation and storage wherein two of its three dimensions are less in the collapsed state as opposed to the erect state, while the third dimension remains substantially the same.